Elelira POVI had the most marvelous morning that I can ever remember having before in my life. Shortly after Lachlan left, a maid scurried into my bedroom with a teapot, some pastries and fruit to snack on until breakfast. I didn't expect Lachlan to follow through. I thought he just wanted me to stay in my room.I sipped hot tea by the large bay window in that chair that had been calling to me since I first stepped into the room. The fire was brought back to life by the same maid that brought my tea, warming the room while I watched the sun rise up in the sky over the sea and send the ocean into a glittering array of vibrant colors. I was a little disarmed having woken up in Lachlan's.... well, really Killian’s arms, but the rest of my morning was relaxing and comfortable. Cherum and Mimi came once the sun was awake, and encouraged me to open all the birthday presents given to me by Lachlan, as well as our wedding presents. There were so many gorgeous items of clothes, accessories
“These are pretty good,” I told Percy after taking a big drink from my second mug of his special coffee. “I know,” he smirks, “The cream is homemade. Only the warriors blessed to be in your service ever get to have it, Luna. Well,” he smiled at Yasmin, “I guess your new hand-maiden can have it now too.”I smile warmly at how welcoming the warriors are to Yasmin. I could see in them at first that they wanted to find the culprit who hurt her and deal with them. I feel much the same, but it was going to hurt her more to demand answers here in the dining hall after Cherum almost threw her out. She had no reason to trust them, or to even trust me, a stranger, enough for her to share that information or relive the horrors she must have been through. I thought that with her profession, that the men here would assume that it was her fault that something like that happened to her. That was always the case with my uncle’s pack. It was always the woman’s fault, never the man’s. I used to hea
Lachlan POV “Lira,” I said in a measured, warning tone, feeling a heat inside my chest and a ringing in my ears. I try to reach out for her, ignoring the feeling building inside me, but she sneers, moving to avoid my touch. A growl escaped me, my anger breaking through my stunned reaction. Her calling me a whore, then avoiding me, like I was filthy or something, hurt far more than her slap. I barely felt the sting of her hand slapping against my cheek, but I felt the pain of her words shredding my pride as an alpha. Killian is howling at me to calm down; to apologize, but I can’t register his words through the haze of my anger. Cherum puts a protective hand on Lira’s shoulder, pulling her back towards him like he was ready to tear her further away from me if needed. This fuels my anger more, making it scolding white hot as it rages inside me. “You want to condemn me for being a whore, and protect the actual one?” I felt my canines and teeth sharpening, my ange
“Excuse me, Alpha,” I said, hoping to the goddess that he freely moves and doesn’t make this scene worse than it is. Elelira is clinging to my shirt, her eyes closed tightly, and her small body is shaking like a leaf in my arms. Lachlan’s eyes focused on my hands gripping her, and I could see the conflict of wanting to tell me to get my hands off his wife again on his face, but to my relief, he stepped to the side, giving me room to pass without saying a word. Elelira’s hold on me remained tight as I walked with her out of the hall. My men followed me out, sensing as much as me that their Luna needed them. Once outside the large, heavy wooden doors, as we began to go back to her room, I heard a fierce growl I am all too familiar with echo out behind us, and the crashing of what I assume was a table he just flipped. “EVERYBODY OUT!” he roars, and I’m sure Killian is pushing his way out. Elelira startles and jerks, whimpering softly as she clings to me more.
Elelira POVIt takes me a moment to regain my composure. Being kissed by Lachlan when Val was the one who initiated it was very different to the fear I felt when I thought Lachlan was going to strike me. When his hands went out towards me faster than my brain could register, it was like the whole world faded around me.Vivid and horrific memories of before my death overcame me, and the feelings that accompanied them. Val screamed in my head, louder than I'd ever heard her scream before. She had succumbed to the illusion that Lachlan cared for us, but that shattered with his actions just now.Now we are both back on the same page; wanting to bide our time until we can leave."Can we find a way to leave now?" She asks, worried about what Lachlan might do to me next time we see him.I'm more worried about what he will do if we leave before giving him an annulment or divorce. He can not take a chosen Luna until he does, at least not without aging through great lengths through the elderso
Cherum and Percy accompanied us outside, but after a little pleading, I got them to agree to watch us from the stone walkway as Yasmin and I strolled down to the water’s edge by ourselves. We rid ourselves of our shoes, walking barefoot in the sand. The grainy particles between my toes felt comforting. The waves were crashing on the shore, the water soaking the bottoms of our skirts made us giggle as it tickled our feet. The fragrant ocean air soothed me and helped to keep me calm as I began to tell her my story. As we walked along the beach, I told Yasmin about my mother, and the suffering she went through because of my uncle and his men. There are so many rumors of my mother being a whore and a loose woman, but she was forced into doing those things by my uncle, until the day of her death. I even brushed over some of the abuse I endured, leaving out the more gruesome details that had yet to happen. I did tell her that I knew her pain. I had been in similar situations where I was
Lachlan POV“GAAHHHHHH!” Killian roars as he throws a table across the room, shattering a glass window. That was the last table and last window in the room that was left in one piece. Not anymore....“HOW COULD YOU!?” he yells, his threatening tone directed at me. “HOW COULD YOU HURT MY MATE!?”“Our mate,” I told him feebly. “No. No, you don’t get to call her your mate. Not after what you just did. Not after you tried to….to….”He plays the scene in our head again, of Lira’s face when I struck out for her, and the horror that filled her emerald eyes and washed all the color out of her features before Cherum thankfully pulled her away from me. I did that. I hurt her again, only this time I have no excuses. I knew she was my mate. I knew she was easily triggered. I knew she thought nothing but horrible things about me. I just proved everything she thought of me to be true. I ruined any progress I might have made this morning, and I have no excuse besides I’m a fool. Killian stands at
It took hours to get my mess cleaned up, and after apologizing to the kitchen staff, I ordered them to use the great hall for meal times until the new furnishings could be built for the dining hall again.Cherum kept me updated on everything Lira was doing. She was finishing having tea and lunch with Yasmin, the last he told me, and getting ready to pay the orphanage a visit; the one she was supposed to go to today with me. If I could go back and redo this morning, I would, but I’ve already been granted one redo. I need to make this right on my own.I hurried back to my room, deciding to create a chance encounter with her at the orphanage, or at the very least, watching her from afar just to see that she was really okay. Killian has been anxious about her because of the last image we have of her on repeat in our mind. I just need to see her to put him and myself at ease. Walking into my bedroom, I stop when I realize that it’s no longer mine. With all the chaos from today, I had fo